One Bye One
by Gimli McGuyver
Summary: We understand death for the first time when he puts his hand upon one whom we love.  A series revolving around the short life span of certain characters. updated whenever the feeling arises
1. Chapter 1

**ONE BYE ONE**

_**Goodbye Spike (part 1).**_

It had been several years since the gang had last seen each other.

Sure, Rainbow Dash had achieved her dreams of becoming a Wonderbolt, and Applejack had successfully run the farm to the best of her abilities, and pinkie pie… was still pinkie pie. Rarity, being the entrepreneur of the group, had a bestselling fashion line. Fluttershy had continued looking after her animals. Twilight had gone back to Canterlot to continue her studies, Spike voluntarily stayed behind to make sure everypony kept in contact.

But they were all re-united, because something had happened.

A letter was sent, twilight being the recipient.

_Spike is in Hospital, there was an accident._

_Rarity_

That was all that the note said, the look of worry had spread across her face.

"Twilight? Is everything alright?" the regal, motherly voice of Princess Celestia rang through the purple mare's ears. Tears slowly forming in Twilight's eyes as she looked up to her former tutor, she hoofed over the note. Celestia's eyes widened. "Aquinilus, get the chariot ready, we're going to Ponyville" the Guards pony sped into action.

The air of worry and fear had spread across the castle, Spike was always known for his mischief and jokes, but he was also known for his caring nature.

The journey to Ponyville was made in silence, the cold night air sent chills up each pony's spine. The stars were twinkling away, the moonlight gently bounced off the tears slowly running down Twilights cheeks. They landed in front of the Hospital, where Twilight just darted in. she walked up to Nurse Redheart, inquiring Spike's whereabouts. There was a chill in the air once again, but it wasn't a typical chill. It was the icy fingers of death.

She took a deep breath, and walked into the room. Spike was lying there on the hospital bed, hooked up to heart monitors and wired up to breathing apparatus. Rarity looked dishevelled, more than the day Twilight left. Rarity wearily moved her head up, taking a glance at the newcomer. "Twilight," Spikes eyelids twitched, slowly opening "it's all my fault" Twilight slowly trotted to the white furred, weeping wreck

"If I had known… that this… was going to happen I" Twilight shushed the crying mare. "It's not your fault," Twilight put on a brave face as the others came in to see her. "He'll be fine, he's always fine" Twilight choked back a flood of tears, feeling a hoof on her shoulder, "Twilight, its okay Sugarcube," Applejack could tell Twilight was lying to herself. There was a sudden cough, "Twi?" a croaking raspy voice sounded off. "Twi, are you here?" Twilight rushed to the bedside.

"I'm here, Spike, I'm here" Twilight sat there, tears welling up. Her stomach was churning, she felt sick.

Sick of loosing family.

Sick of loosing friends.

"Twilight, It was an accident," Spike croaked, "I was helping Rarity find a rare gem, but there was a cave in," he coughed again, this time with blood, Rarity took a tissue and wiped it away. "I pushed her out of the cave just in time" the act of heroics almost cost him his life. Twilight took the weakened, scaled hand of the dragon in her hoof, Tears in her eyes, "I don't want to die, but there's nothing which can be done," the dragon was accepting death now. Twilight slumped to the floor, sobbing.

"After everything we've been through?" Twilight shouted, not caring who heard her.

"And you're giving up just like that?" Twilight stayed on the floor, screaming in anguish.

She felt a hand on her head. "Twilight, its okay, really… I saved a life," the dragon sounded wise beyond his years. The heart monitor was slowly beeping away. "Rarity, can you promise me something" the White mare looked up and met the gaze of the dragon's emerald eyes, the tears streaming down her face dampening her white fur. "a-anything" she cried.

"Find a good Colt, somepony who isn't an asshole preferably" he chuckled, and then coughed up more blood. "Applejack, I'm sorry, looks like I wont be meeting the rest of your family, like you wanted" the orange pony smiled.

"Don't worry, you'll meet Granny smith once your up there" Applejack covered her weeping with a light-hearted joke, forming a smile on the dragon's lips. "Pinkie?"

Pinkie was in the worst state, her fur was a depressive pink, her mane had deflated, and her eyes were bloodshot, overflowing with tears. Pinkie wanted to just hug the dragon, but in his state, she couldn't. In the end she just folded her forearms, rested them on one side of the bed, and continued to weep, "Pinkie pie, hold a big old party for me when im gone okay?" the pink party pony sniffed and nodded, a small "mmkay" slipped out of her mouth. Rainbow dash, the Wonderbolt, sat there in the corner for the longest time, currently holding onto a very emotionally broken Fluttershy.

Dash had slipped her goggles over her eyes to cover the fact that she too, was weeping, she tried to open her mouth to say something, but her words didn't come out, she trotted out of the room, and into an empty one. She started to smash up the room she was in, throwing the beds around, Fluttershy heard the commotion, gently hovering into the room, and she wrapped Dash in her wings.

Dash finally opened up, "why, why Spike? He's…" a scream was heard coming from Spike's room. The heart monitor had gone from regular beeping, to a long, dead tone, echoing throughout the hospital.

Spike's heart stopped beating that day.

Time seemed to stop.

The princess had felt this emotion before, just as the day when she banished Luna to the moon, the pain had returned, tenfold. Her mane had lost its colour, to be replaced with greyscale tones. The twinkle in her eyes was all but gone, replaced with lingering tears.

For the first time in her long life, she felt powerless.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Goodbye Spike (part 2).**_

Ponyville had fallen quiet; the autumn leaves gently falling to the ground.

The casket was carried out; the small dragon was lying inside, in a grand suit.

The church was filled with Ponies of different backgrounds; each one had been affect by Spike in some way. Word had travelled far and wide. The silence was broken by stifled sobs. The vicar began his sermon, oblivious to the rain falling gently on the leaves. "We are gathered here today, to say farewell," the vicar drew a breath, wiping away a small tear. "to say farewell to Spike the dragon…" the sermon continued on until he finally stopped. "And now if any one would like to say a few words" the vicar had finished. Twilight got to her feet and slowly trotted to the stand, wiping away fresh tears.

She began to speak.

"Spike was always there, lending a helping hand whenever necessary, always cheering ponies up when they were down, I took him for granted in some ways," her voice began to break. "he used to tell me about how he would try to win Rarity's heart, or how he had stumbled upon a new book hidden within the library," she let out a small chuckle "he was always making me laugh…" she trailed off as she lowered her head, The tears freely flowing from her eyes. She trotted off, sitting down next to her Former tutor. Celestia looked down at the trembling, sobbing purple pony, and then placed her wing over Twilight's shoulder.

The purple mare had her heart broken, not by a selfish Colt, but by the loss of one of her closest friends. She looked over to Spike's still form "he looks so peaceful" she sighed.

Applejack helped Rarity to her hooves, gently trotting alongside her. "Ya'll ready?" the orange mare asked. Rarity tried to keep her composure, her make up slowly running down her tear stained cheeks. She nodded.

She stepped up to speak. "Spike was my knight in scaled armour, he would always go out of his way to help me," she started to feel bad "and what did I do? I gave him gems and accessories which he didn't really need," the tears streaming down her cheeks blended in with her black make up. "The Dragon loved me, and I was too stupid to realize it until it was too late," she was choking on her own words. "It's my fault" she broke down. Applejack rushed to carry her off.

"Hey Sugarcube, no-one's ta blame," the cowpony spoke in her usual southern drawl, only this time, her voice was filed with one emotion.

Sorrow.

Everypony in the church was in tears, Pinkie Pie's mane was still deflated. Fluttershy hid her bloodshot eyes behind her light pink mane. Rainbow Dash, just sat there, emotionless, cold and stoic.

Celestia was very good at controlling her emotions, she had to be.

Ever since she had banished her little sister to the moon, she had to keep things bottled up. The white alicorn wasn't about to give in now. But she let a few tears go, hoping no-one would notice.

The casket was carried outside; a freshly dug hole was waiting. The elements of harmony were brought together once more. Circled around the casket, they laid flowers upon the tomb.

The casket was lowered into the ground; Rainbow finally let her emotions show once more, collapsing to the floor.

The bitter sting of tears staining her fur, she cried, not caring who watched.

Fluttershy placed a wing over the sobbing cyan Pegasus's shoulder.

Rarity was clutching Applejack so tightly. Pinkie pie was attempting to get Twilight out of a semi-catatonic state.

Twilight walked over to fresh tombstone, rested her forehead ever so gently on it

A faint whisper was heard… the tear drops gently pitter pattering on the stone.

"Goodbye Spike"


	3. Chapter 3

So long pinkie pie.

_this is the first peice of poetry i have done in several years. heh being a lyricist has its perks._

* * *

><p>The doctors said that there wasn't much time.<br>But to the ponies of ponyville, there was no time at all.  
>She was a bouncing pink pony, with a rainbow for a partner in crime.<br>But the fun was brought to sad end, as the pink party pony's health started to fall.

It started as a twitch, as it always does.  
>But as the days went by,<br>Pinkie Pie began to cry.  
>Separated from the things she loved.<p>

The pranks continued, games were played.  
>But not a single cupcake was made that day.<br>The pink mare had grown sick, sicker than most.  
>The fact was that she was now, just a ghost.<p>

The sugary treats that filled her with glee,  
>No longer could she eat them happily.<br>She gave up the fight, she was no longer baking.  
>Rainbow dash found the insulin not taken.<p>

The pink party pony was no more,  
>The streamers were no longer laid out on the floor.<br>Party hats were replaced, ponies all dressed in black.  
>The party gifts and favours, guests started to pack.<p>

A party for pinkie, may her soul finally rest.  
>But rainbow dash knew, it had all been in jest.<br>The party pony died, as laughter did too.  
>But sooner or later, so will you.<p>

Pinkie pie came to terms with death that day.  
>Her happiness seemed so very far away.<br>The elements were now one short it seemed,  
>But sadly for them, it wont all be just a dream.<p>

The sadness will take its toll on the five.  
>For soon every one of them will no longer be alive.<br>Times will changes, scores will be set.  
>We all die, is my best bet.<p>

With all the energy the party pony could muster,  
>She left her five remaining friends in a fluster.<br>Off to join little spikey in the sky.  
>To the pink pony's surprise, she could finally fly.<p>

Sunrise, sunset,

its all the same.

Moonrise, moonset,

its all a bucking game.


End file.
